I carried Maya to her wing of the castle. She had cried herself to sleep again and I had the lair doctor waiting to give her a check-up. Abby walked inside with Milo once again holding her and I saw Luciana from the corner of my eye as I walked down the long hallway.I stayed while the doctor took her blood pressure and prescribed something that was safe for the baby. She was on her side with her back to me as I sat next to her and stroked her hair. She seemed calmer now and then she turned her head to look at me.“We weren’t close but he was still my brother.”“Of course he was.”She sighed and shifted around to look properly at me. “He wasn’t a good person but he seemed so different with Abigail that I hoped the things he did in the past was behind him.”“What things?” I had to fight to keep control of my voice because she knew things I didn’t know and I’d left my sister with him.“He was accused of rape once but the case was dismissed for lack of evidence. I don’t think he did it,
I was woken up by the shrill ring of my phone and it felt like I had just closed my eyes and fallen asleep. I turned on my back with a groan and stabbed at the answer button angrily. “Grey.”“I’ve been thinking about our conversation last night and I’m still pissed off but Nova’s insisting we come to see you at the end of the week before we go home.” I could envision Nova standing next to him because he really wasn’t happy making this call.“Great, you’ll be in time for Nicu’s funeral ceremony.”“Shit. Make that the end of next week.” I chuckled as I heard something that sounded like a smack and Ryder’s low cursing as he fumbled with the phone.“Whenever is fine. Gives Abby time to settle in here. We have to go to the ceremony. Dorin was killed too so she’s taking that very hard.”“She needs to come home.”“I’ve got her Dad, she’s safe here with me and Milo.”“Yeah. We’ll talk again.”No goodbye was said and the line went dead as I placed my phone back on the side table and turned tow
On Wednesday I woke up in the middle of the night to Maya’s shrill screams and I fell out of bed in my haste to get moving and pulled on sweats just as I opened the door and started running in the direction of her voice.I stopped in front of Milo’s suite and yanked the door open and averted my eyes as they widened at what I saw and I had to close my mouth. The doors to his bedroom was flung wide open and Abby sat on his bed, covered only by a sheet.Milo was in front of her, buck ass naked trying to cover himself with the tiny piece of sheet that Abby hadn’t grabbed and Maya stood in the doorway, looking like she’d either seen a ghost or was about to pass out.“What the hell’s going on?” I had a very good idea exactly what was going on and my fists clenched by my side.“I … I shouldn’t have come here.” Maya turned around and slightly bumped into me in her haste to get out of Milo’s suite.“Maya wait.” I rushed to catch up with her as she power walked back down the hall to her suite.
Maya’s luggage filled the entire boot and backseat of the SUV and there was just enough space for Genevieve to sit. The drive to Sinaia was quiet and Maya slept through most of it. It was going to be a long and emotional day for her.I hadn’t taken any luggage because I wasn’t staying. It would help cement Maya’s story about the annulment if I left right after and basically ignored her throughout the ceremony. We’d ended up talking for hours and I was reminded of the girl I’d talked with so easily in the garden.Abby had come downstairs to say goodbye to me and told me to give Milo some time. I didn’t tell her that I would be back that same night. Luciana had, as was our way, stood by my window until I looked up and winked at her.I felt a sense of dread as I drove through the Palace gates and parked near the steps so Maya didn’t have so far to walk. She’d allowed me to feel the baby kick the previous night and we were now confidantes and in a good place.“Duke Grey, Princess Maya.” T
I sat up straight in bed, cold sweat dotting my forehead as Echo nudged me on the inside. “Shit.” I jumped out of bed just as the lamp next to Luciana switched on.“What’s wrong?”“My father’s here.”Her eyes widened slightly as she also got out of bed and pulled on a robe. I left the room as she headed to the bathroom and knocked on Milo’s door. I knew he wouldn’t open it since it was me knocking but I did it anyway. “Dad’s here.”I opened the front door just as a car pulled up and the rear door opened as Shae jumped out and ran towards me. “Wynterkins!”“Hey wild child!” I had her wrapped in my arms and hugged her tightly as her eyes flashed between silver and yellow.Chusi separated from Shae and stumbled over her tail, landing on the steps with a thud as she looked up sheepishly at me. Echo nudged me to walk down the steps so he could also separate from me. His tail thumped up and down as Chusi rubbed herself against him.Chusi was much smaller than Echo and she seemed to look eve
I didn’t mention my son again, not to anyone, not even to Luciana. Maya and I had spoken again, two days later and she told me that she had wanted to name him August Grey de Haviland since we hadn’t been married when he’d died in her womb.At the back of the castle, deep into the wooded trees that surrounded us, I placed a small tombstone and buried the rattle that Nova had given me as a gift when Maya’s pregnancy was announced. It was a beautiful rattle with the head of a dragon carved from Dragonstone.I walked past his substitute grave every single day and I left my grief and regrets there. To the outside world I had dealt with my grief and then continued to be the Duke and Sire of Mintia. I would always wonder what type of child he could have been, what type of man he’d grown into and thoughts like that just kept the wound fresh. I needed that pain to stay with me.When I walked back into the castle I put a smile on my face and soaked in the time I had with Luciana, feeling our da
I caught the Queen’s scent and turned my head towards the hall. The King was yelling at me but I ignored him as I started running down the hall towards the Queen. By the time Florin and his warriors reached her office I had her in front of me, my hand around her throat.“Wynter … what are you doing?” Florin had his hands up in front of him, pleading with his eyes for me to let her go.“We’re going to have a little talk, you, me and the Queen. Your warriors need to step out or I snap her neck right now.”He nodded his head and the three warriors backed away from us, out the door and stood watching me with careful eyes from the hallway. I didn’t want them gone, they needed to hear this as well. Sorin’s face appeared and Florin seemed to exhale in relief.“Hello Sorin, nice of you to join us.”“Wynter, what’s going on?” He knew exactly what was going on but it wasn’t like I’d had time to warn him.“This is madness Sorin! He needs to let her go and explain why he killed my daughter!” The
Anger had swirled through Ryder for weeks after leaving Mintia and Wynter behind. Milo and Abigail had been quiet in the backseat and Shae had cried all the way to Bucharest. Nova hadn’t said a word yet but Ryder knew well that she would.Two days later Ryder stood on his porch and Nova finally let loose. He could see swirls of silver in her eyes as she sat down on the porch swing and he finally joined her after minutes of silence.“I love you Ryder but sometimes I don’t know who you are.”“You know exactly who I am. I never hid anything from you.”Nova sighed as she turned to look at her husband. “What you did was inexcusable.”“He put her life in danger!”“Don’t raise your voice at me.”“I’m not … I’m sorry. What else was I supposed to do? He touched my daughter! His filthy hands pawed at her, he slapped her and …”“And he didn’t get very far. Wynter killed him for touching her. He did what you expected of him, what Typhon expected of him.”“It doesn’t matter, he stood in this house